Press Releases

Hastings Urges House Leadership to Schedule H.Res.401 for a Vote

Resolution Calls for an End to the Dog and Cat Meat Industry

Today, Congressman Alcee L. Hastings (D-FL) sent the following letter to Speaker of the House Paul Ryan and House Majority Leader Kevin McCarthy, urging them to bring H.Res.401 to the house floor for a vote without delay. The resolution, which was reported favorably by the House Foreign Affairs Committee on November 15, 2017, urges all nations to end the dog and cat meat trade, and highlights the inherent cruelty of annual events like the Yulin Dog Meat Festival, which is set to begin on June 21, 2018. (Please find attached and below a copy of the letter):

June 14, 2018

The Honorable Paul Ryan
Speaker
U.S. House of Representatives
H-232, the Capitol
Washington, D.C. 20515

The Honorable Kevin McCarthy
House Majority Leader
U.S. House of Representatives
H-107, the Capitol
Washington, D.C. 20515

Dear Speaker Ryan and Majority Leader McCarthy:

I write to urge you to schedule H.Res.401 for a vote without delay. As you know, I introduced this bipartisan resolution with Congressman Vern Buchanan (R-FL) in June 2017. It has since been reported favorably by the House Foreign Affairs Committee on November 15, 2017, with the support and co-sponsorship of Chairman Ed Royce (R-CA).

H.Res.401 urges all nations to outlaw the dog and cat meat trade, which is responsible for extreme animal cruelty affecting tens of millions of dogs and cats every year. One festival that symbolizes the need for this resolution is the Yulin Dog Meat Festival, which celebrates the torture of animals prior to their slaughter, where dogs are often skinned or boiled alive. This festival, held annually in the Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region of China, will begin on June 21, 2018.

Once again, I respectfully ask that you expeditiously bring H.Res.401 to the floor for a vote. By passing this measure, Congress will send a strong signal to all nations that we will not stand by while the brutal and inhumane treatment and consumption of dog and cat meat continues.

I look forward to following up with both of you in person to discuss in further detail, and stand ready to do all that I can to assist in moving this process forward. Thank you for your time and consideration of my request. With warm personal regards, I remain,

Sincerely,

Alcee L. Hastings
Member of Congress

Congressman Alcee L. Hastings serves as Senior Member of the House Rules Committee, Ranking Democratic Member of the U.S. Helsinki Commission, and Co-Chairman of the Florida Delegation.